Another year, another edition of The King of Fighters tournament. After Verse's defeat and sealing Orochi again, the annual fighting competition had come back into the spotlight. It had been an entire month of stolen belts, weed lollipops and drunk talent shows at Denny's, all being held in a hotel in Southtown, but that's a story for another day.

This year's tourney saw the return of a very certain band from '97, much to the shock of many, if looks could kill however, they would just be a pile of blood and guts on the ground. The band took it all in stride though. Hell, they enjoyed the negative attention. Yashiro took the time to promote CYS's new album: Bloody Rebirth (now available on all music streaming services, CDs, AND vinyl), and would try to punch Yagami's lights out again.

Shermie took the time to catch up with the other lady participants, and while they were a little uneasy around her, the Frenchwoman reassured them that they wouldn't do anything crazy.

And Chris… well, he was having a problem, and it involved a girl.

He didn't quite understand why his usual cool and mature demeanor would fade whenever he was around her. He knew that they were the same age, 14 years, but she would act about 10 years younger than that sometimes, she could be very noisy and childish. She even gave people the silent treatment when she didn't get any candy or ice cream. She was just… annoying.

So how come he couldn't stop thinking about her? Her strawberry blonde hair, her ruby eyes, the bright yellow gloves. Chris had found himself wanting to know more and more about the girl, so he decided to start small. Just say hi. Easy enough. He paced silently back and forth through the hotel lobby until she had come down and they would cross paths.

"Hey Kula." Chris said casually, not letting himself sound too excited, and not too familiar.

"Hi Kensou!"

That was a major setback.

"What? No, I-I'm Chris."

"Oh! You are? Sorry about… wait," Kula's expression went from an innocent look to a suspicious glare, "You're from the Ha- Hake- Hakess… you're from Orochi's group aren't you?"

"Well yeah we are but… we're not trying to take over the world anymore. You don't have to be so weary around me." Chris tried to explain, but was silenced by a black rapier held behind his neck.

"I wouldn't put anything past you, Orochi. You shouldn't have even come to this tournament in the first place." Diana, one of Kula's loyal guardians said callously.

"You could at least call me by my name." Chris said, digging in his pockets for something.

"Don't make any sudden moves kid." Diana warned, tightening the grip on her rapier.

"Relax mom, I don't use weapons," Chris retrieved a lollipop from his pocket. Kula's primal instincts kicked in.

"Can I?" Kula said excitedly, Chris nodded with a smile, and the ice girl swiped it from his grasp and tore the wrapper off of the sweet and was about to go in on it before she shot Chris another icy cold look.

"You didn't do anything to this, did you?"

"Why don't you taste it and find out?"

"..."

"No. No, I didn't do anything to it." Chris confirmed and the ice doll happily indulged with her candy, Diana sighed internally and withdrew her weapon from the drummer's neck.

"Thank you! You gave me candy, so I guess we're friends now." Kula said to her brand new friend.

"Wow, I'm friends with the Kula Diamond. I'm honored." Chris joked, Diana seriously couldn't believe this was happening, she had no idea why a member of the Hakkeshu would be doing this, but she let it happen.

"Don't get too comfortable Chris," the NESTS alumni warned, "me and Foxy will be keeping a very close eye on you. Let's go Kula."

"Okaaay! Bye Chris!"

"See ya later." The drummer said as he called an elevator, his heart was beating like… well, a drum, as he entered the elevator he had a realization.

He wanted to get to know this girl better, and all he hoped was that she felt the same way.

Kensou and Athena had been on the side watching the entire interaction play out, and the older psychic was confused.

"How could Kula mix me and Chris up? We look nothing alike! Athena! Do we look alike?" Kensou asked his crush.

"Obviously not, but maybe at a distance… or if you guys switched clothes."

"Seriously?!"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!"

Back in the hotel room, Chris had filled his band mates in on his dilemma, much to their shock.

"EEEEK! Chris that's amazing!"

"No way man! What's her name? What's she like?"

Shermie and Yashiro's questions were relentless, one reason why Chris didn't want to tell them about his situation.

"Look, it's nothing crazy," Chris tried to explain, "it's just, whenever I'm around her, I just feel nervous. I don't know if it's Orochi or anything…"

"No dude. You have a crush. And from what it sounds like, you're crushing on her pretty hard." Yashiro said grinning.

"We can help you out with her! You have to take this slow, let her know that you're interested, but don't make it obvious." An excited Shermie explained, Yashiro shook his head.

"Look Chris, you gotta be confident, and you gotta let her know that you're worth her time." Yashiro told his band mate.

"There's no need to rush into things." Shermie pointed out.

"But you don't wanna keep her guessing whether you like her or not." Yashiro added.

"Yash, you know that Chris can't just tell her how he feels after a few days."

"Yeah I know, but the sooner the better."

"No… I mean you have to get to know her for a few years first…"

"A few years? C'mon Sherm, they're not getting married here."

"But they might, and if they do, just know that it wasn't because they were rushing."

This is the other reason why Chris didn't want to tell his teammates, he loved them to death. But they tend to approach these kinds of situations very differently.

"I appreciate the help. But I'll deal with Kula in my own way." Chris said, breaking up his band mate's bickering.

"Oooh, the ice girl? I remember her. I met her in my dreams once," Shermie said, much to the confusion of her bandmates, "it's a long story."

"She creeps me the hell out. It's like there's something else behind those red eyes of hers," Yashiro said, ironically enough, "in any case, you shouldn't worry too hard about it man, we still have a tournament to win." Chris only nodded in response.

You're emotions… they are spiraling out of control.

Chris had woken up to nothing. A black void staring back at him. A loud, deep voice cuts through the darkness.

Boy… we've no time to be playing silly games.

Chris turned around and saw him. White hair, weird symbol on his chest, white pants and dapper brown shoes.

"Leave me alone Orochi."

"Why must I do that? We still have a lot of work to do boy."

"I'll pass, thanks. Now buzz off."

"Such insolence. What makes you think you can simply ignore your destiny? We are cleansing Gaia's creation of these putrid, filthy creatures. You should be eager."

"Eager to help you? You and Goenitz ruined our lives. You got us killed, and made our band fall into obscurity. And now you're stuck in my body! Helping you is the very last thing I'd want to do."

Orochi rolled his eyes, "You are being difficult child, I figured you would feel the same way I do."

"I can see where you're coming from and you aren't entirely wrong. But I won't release you."

"Because it's the right thing to do? Because it's heroic?"

"Calm down. I ain't a hero. I'd just rather you not ruin everything again."

"Very well. I admit defeat for now. However I await the day that you break, and I will be freed from these shackles."

"You'll be waiting for a long time then."

"Haha… fair enough," Orochi smiled a little, "by the way, say hi to Kula for me. If I ever leave your body, perhaps I will spare her. And you two can be…

together forever."

Chris jolted awake in a cold sweat, this was the 5th time he had done this during KOF, so Shermie took it upon herself to sleep with the kid. Chris didn't want her to do that, but she insisted.

"Another one huh?" The Frenchwoman asked, Chris silently nodded, "what was it this time?"

"Orochi. I saw him."

You wouldn't notice, but under Shermie's crimson bangs her eyes had widened.

"...I don't think I ever apologized." Chris said unexpectedly.

"Mm? Apologized for what?"

"Getting us killed. Making our band obscure… getting everyone to hate the shit out of us."

"Hey. You did nothing wrong Chris. All of that stuff in '97 was out of our control, Goenitz had made this happen."

"Ugh, if I ever see Goenitz again I'll make him regret he was ever born."

"No. We'll make him regret he was ever born," Shermie said with a smile, "now get some sleep, we have a lot of work tomorrow~"

"Right. Good night." Chris didn't feel better per se, but he slept much sounder that night

The next day was the semifinals, and it wasn't a good day for CYS. The New Faces team had lost to the Ikari Warriors rather unceremoniously. Shermie wanted to fight Clark so she was put on point, and she was proven to be the better grappler, however Ralf had quickly put her down in the 2nd round. Yashiro and Ralf went at it, trading blows and talking smack to each other, ultimately Ralf had come out on top, and then Chris came out on top a moment later.

"You should lighten up Leona." Chris said, trying to chide her, "I've met cardboard cutouts who're more interesting than you."

"...If this wasn't a tournament, your life would be in grave danger, Orochi." Leona shot back.

The silent soldier fought hard, like she was going to kill a 14 year old today. Her extensive military training and undying hatred for the Hakkeshu (and anything Orochi-related really), had led her to come out on top. And leaving a relatively beat up Chris on the ground.

"If you were smart, you would've never shown up at this tournament, Orochi." Leona said coldly.

"Yeah, yeah… whatever."

CYS were picked up, sent to the nearest hospital, and spent a boring 4 hours getting patched up, before discharging themselves and heading back to the hotel. It had been a pretty bad day today, all things considered. When Yashiro and Shermie had entered the elevator to go to their room, Chris stayed behind in the lobby.

"Good luck with your girl Chris-" Yashiro was cut off as the elevator doors had thankfully closed on him. Chris had suspected that she had gone out for ice cream, and she did, as a few minutes later she happily strolled in the lobby with a small tub of strawberry ice cream. She was accompanied by a taller guy with sunglasses, white hair and a mean face.

"I'm not wasting anymore money on you. So enjoy the ice cream while it lasts." The tall guy said gruffly.

"Y'know K', maybe if you tried some ice cream, you'd start to feel happier, every thought about that?"

"For the last time, I'm not putting that shit in my body."

"Suit yourself-hi Chris!" Kula lit up when she saw the battered drummer.

"Yo. How's it going?" Chris's heart started thumping again.

"This big ol' grouch had bought me some ice cream," Kula said pointing at the aforementioned grouch, "K' here really thinks he's tough, but he's just a softie."

"Yo, isn't this chick working with Orochi or something like that?" K' asked the ice doll. Chris disliked him already.

"I'm a guy, sunglasses," an irritated Chris said, "are those shades making you hallucinate or something?"

"Well maybe don't dress like a girl and I won't mistake you for one." K' shot back.

"Calm down macho man, you look like you're ready to explode on me."

"I just might…"

"Settle down you two!" Kula said getting in between the boys bickering, "You guys are both being rude." Both of the boys scoffed and looked away from each other, then Chris remembered why he decided to stay in this stupid lobby in the first place.

"By the way Kula, you mind if I get your contact information?" Chris asked sheepishly, the NESTS girl smiled in response, took out her phone and gave it to him, and the drummer proceeded to put his information in.

"Hello Kitty huh? That's a cute background." Chris said to himself as he gave the phone back to its owner.

"Thaaaank you. Make sure you text me tomorrow, alright Chris?"

"Don't worry I will." Chris responded with a smile.

"Christ, this is getting mushy. Can we leave already?" K' said, interrupting the moment between the two, Kula and Chris started giggling at the moody teen's impatience. As the two former NESTS agents made their way to the elevator, Chris found himself still smiling, which was seriously starting to creep out the other participants.

"Yo. You alright man?" Rock Howard said, snapping his fingers at the boy, after the third snap, Chris had exited the trance.

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm good. I'll… go now." Chris made his way over to the elevator, called it, and got on, the boy had thought about how because of the last 5 minutes, his bad day had turned into a pretty ok one.

*END*

I am dipping my toes into KOF and romance. Oh man, there are so many great writers in the KOF fandom, I'm just a fish in a pond, and the entire reason I'm doing this rare pairing fic in the first place is because it's cute and Chris is a pretty cool guy.

Anywho, please leave any comments/critiques, I'd love to hear them :)